Ranking Top Free Agents Eagles Must Re-Sign in 2024 NFL Offseason

The Philadelphia Eagles are set of a really interesting offseason in 2024. There's no denying there's a talented roster in place, but there's also no denying that changes need to be made.

That's already evident in the way they approached the coaching staff. The Eagles will take flight in 2024 with two new coordinators from the outside. Kellen Moore takes over as offensive coordinator while Vic Fangio come in to run the defense.

Former offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and defensive coordinator Sean Desai were shown the door.

The next step the Eagles will have to take is deciding what to do with their in-house free agents. Philadelphia has 19 impending free agents and only have $19.9 million in cap space heading into the offseason.

That means the Eagles will have to prioritize which free agents they have to bring back and which ones they will be fine with letting walk.

Based on their previous production, cap situation and team role, these are the top three free agents the Eagles need to bring back for the 2024 campaign.

3. P Braden Mann

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 07: Braden Mann #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on January 07, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

It's a little bit of an indictment on this year's free agent class that the third-most important free agent to retain is a punter, but we're talking about one of the best in the league.

The Eagles were No. 1 in the league in special teams DVOA and the punt team was a part of that. Mann was seventh in the league in net yards per punt with 44.3 and sixth in gross average, booming 49.8 yard punts on average.

Due to age, underwhelming results and the team's cap situation there aren't a lot of free agents that the team really has to prioritize keeping around. Mann is one of the few exceptions.

Another factor that makes Mann a likely candidate to return is the relationship that he has forged with special teams coordinator Michael Clay. While the Eagles made changes with their offensive and defensive leaders, they extended Clay's contract.

Mann attributed the coach with a lot of his success last season.

"He has been great," Mann said, per the team's official website. "He lets me do what I do. He is not trying to change what I do; he is trying to make it work how I punt, which lets me be as comfortable as I can be back there."

Mann isn't going to take up a huge chunk of the cap but will help make sure the Eagles are one of the best punt coverage teams in the league again.

2. TE Jack Stoll

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Philadelphia Eagles tight end Jack Stoll (89) runs after a reception during the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles on November 26, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field.(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Eagles aren't loaded with a lot of free agents who were good at their job last season and under the age of 27, but Jack Stoll fits the description.

Stoll didn't fill up the box score. He only had five receptions for 38 yards but he was on the field for 38 percent of the Eagles offensive snaps this season. Stoll's job was primarily to block and his efforts are really come out when you look at the Eagles' use of 12 (one running back, two tight ends) personnel.

The Eagles were 15th in the league in 12 personnel usage and ranked eighth in EPA per play when utilizing the personnel package. So while Stoll wasn't getting the ball a lot in those situations, their ability to move him around the formation and have a quality blocker allowed them to run the ball effectively.

Multiple tight end sets aren't going away with Kellen Moore taking over. The Chargers weren't all that effective in 12 personnel. They were 22nd in EPA per play when using it, but that didn't stop Kellen Moore from using it at the 10th-highest rate last season.

With a blocking tight end like Stoll to utilize, Moore can continue to turn to two tight end sets to lean on the Eagles running game.

1. Edge Brandon Graham

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 10: Brandon Graham #55 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on from the field during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Brandon Graham has become a leader and veteran presence over the course of his 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 35-year-old isn't the player he once was. His snap share went from 43 percent in 2022 to 34 percent in 2023. With Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat on the roster with Nolan Smith, he's likely to remain in that fourth edge rusher role going forward.

But he's still proven the ability to get after the quarterback. He posted a respectable 12.9 pressure percentage last season which is his second-highest figure since 2017.

This list assumes that Jason Kelce, whose teammates are already talking about him as if he's retired despite an official announcement, is going to hang up his cleats.

That would leave Fletcher Cox and Graham as the last vestiges of an era of Eagles football and Graham is the one who has made it clear he'd like one more "farewell" tour, though.

Regardless of whether Graham suits up for the Eagles, they are going to owe him $7.9 million in the form of a void year on his current contract. If they can bring him back for a final season it would likely be at a hometown discount that would at least give the Eagles some return on that investment while filling an important roster role.